A question about stretch marks-

I'm currently pretty large, and because I gained a lot of weight incredibly fast, I have these really bad pink stretch marks all over my belly. I am going to be losing weight over the next year or two, and I was wondering- people who have them, when you lost weight did they go away? Or even fade? I have been told that stretch marks never disappear, so I'm curious as to others' experiences with them.

Hey! I'm F/25/5'2 and I used to weigh 200 pounds, now down to 140ish. I had a web of red/purple stretch marks on my stomach that has faded to white. You can't notice them unless you sort of pull the skin taught or look really closely.

Get some cocoa butter and keep moisturizing (the stuff that specializes in stretch marks) and they should fade over time. They'll never fully go away, but they will look 100x better than when you begin. Just think of it like you're a tiger and you've earned your stripes when you get to the end :)

I have had 2 kids, both really destroyed my abdomen. As I've been losing weight and as time has gone on, the deep red/purple stretch marks (literally tiger stripes on my stomach) have faded to skin color. They are still fading too, and now are INCREDIBLY lighter than when they were. Trust me when I say it does get better.

There are a lot of snake oil products promising a cure for stretch marks. None of them have been conclusively proven to work. There are some products that can prevent stretch marks in advance (if for instance you know you're pregnant and want to avoid them), but nothing that works after they exist. They will fade with time, but they won't totally go away. I've lost 70 lbs. They're still fairly visible as vertical wrinkles along my naval area. I'm hopeful that some exposure to the sun come spring/summer will help to blend them some.

There are skin treatments available that are similar to the tattoo removal process, but they are expensive. Dietary fats help with skin elasticity as well as vitamin E if you intend to start a significant workout routine (preventing more).

This is a problem I am facing. There is a laser stretch mark removal available, but it costs about $500 a session and you will need about 5 sessions to get rid of them. I'm saving up, and that will be my reward for reaching my uti mate goal weight. The only problem is that if you wait until they turn white, the laser therapy is less effective. You have to take action before they turn white.

Or you can try using a Derma roller. They are about $4 on amazon or eBay, and you can find some vitamin e oil at Walmart for the same price. Cheap and slightly effective. Using vitamin e oil every night for 6 months or so has mad mine fade about 30% or so. You could also try the special serum that come with some brand name Derma rollers if you want, but I've never used that and it's a little pricy too. Just google some and you can look for yourself. My advice though is to not wait until you have lost the weight to do something about it, or hope that they will fade because once they do fade and turn white you can't get rid of them. It's better to do something now while they are pink.

I think it depends on how long you've had them too. I gained a lot of weight as a kid and I had terrible red stretch marks on my love handles since the age of 12. 13 years later, I lost a ton of weight but I still have a noticeable amount (they're white now). I like to see them as my battle scars.

Don't quote me on this, but I've heard that stretch marks that are still pinkish (they eventually turn white) can still be more or less removed with different lotions. Go ahead and start working to remove them. Good luck.

Link only to a progresspic image or a collection of progresspic images. This requires a before and an after of a human. We do not accept pictures of graphs, or other inanimate objects such as belts. Exception: The top stickied post may be used for appropriate subreddit posts/discussion.

There should be a clear before and after picture that is posted. It does not need to display weight loss. Progress can come in many different forms. If you have any questions as to whether your submission fits into /r/progresspics, feel free to send a message in mod mail.

Do not link your entire social-media profile.

All pictures must be original content and posted with the consent of the subject. Reposts or images found elsewhere on the Internet will be removed. If you see content that has been posted elsewhere before, please message the moderators with a link to the original.

Be good to one another. If critiquing, only do so constructively. Be polite. Practice Reddiquette. Don't be a pervert.

Stay on topic to the original post, the pictures, or the original poster's comments.

Do not harass other users through Reddit's private messaging system. Yes, this includes sending unsolicited nude photos of yourself. If you have been sent creepy or disturbing messages after posting on /r/progresspics, please send a screenshot of their message to modmail, report their message to the Reddit admins, and block them.

Users under 18 are permitted to post, but they must be fully clothed. Absolutely no exceptions. This applies even if you're 18 or older, and your before picture features a less than fully clothed under-aged you.